
On Sunday, the village of Keragodu in Karnataka experienced heightened tensions following the removal of a 'Hanuma dwaja', a saffron flag adorned with Lord Hanuman's image, from a 108-foot tall flagpole.
The incident began when the police removed the Hanuma Dwaja, a saffron flag featuring Lord Hanuman, which led to a strong backlash from the local community and political parties.
The villagers of Keragodu and 12 neighboring villages had reportedly collected funds for the installation of the flag. However, following complaints from unidentified persons, the taluk panchayat executive officer directed the gram panchayat officials to remove the flag. This resulted in locals protesting and holding an overnight vigil, chanting slogans against the chief minister and the Mandya Congress MLA Ganiga Ravikumar.
The situation escalated when the police used force to clear the area on Sunday morning. Mandya district in-charge N Cheluvarayaswamy clarified that the location of the flagpole fell under the panchayat's jurisdiction and that permission was obtained to hoist the national flag, but it was replaced by another flag that evening.
The Leader of Opposition R Ashoka criticized the government's actions, questioning the necessity of police intervention and the lack of dialogue with the villagers.
Amidst the unrest, the police and administration officials replaced the Hanuma dwaja with the national tricolour on the flagpole. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed the incident, stating that the national flag should be hoisted instead of any other flag, emphasizing adherence to democratic principles and the Constitution. He also suggested that the Hanuman flag could be installed at a private place or near a temple, indicating a willingness to support such an initiative.
"It is not right to fly the saffron flag instead of the national flag. They should have hoisted the national flag," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI
Opposition leaders condemned the government's actions, with BJP leader R Ashoka criticizing the government's "anti-Hindu stance" and State BJP President B Y Vijayendra accusing the government of using "police oppression" to remove the flag.
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